HIS LAST RODEO by Claire McEwen Interview & Giveaway

Back in the saddle again… 

HIS LAST RODEO

Sierra Legacy #4

Claire McEwen

Releasing May 1, 2017

Harlequin Superromance

Tyler Ellis catches Kit Hayes completely off guard when he swaggers back home and into the bar she manages. Since high school, he's been a champion rodeo star…a notorious playboy…and now, apparently, a bar owner. She accepts his offer of a hefty bonus and helps him transform the place because she's desperate to escape their tiny town in the Sierras. She doesn't expect him to work this hard beside her. Where's the cocky cowboy he's supposed to be? Instead she discovers he's still the sweet, genuine young man she once knew. And so much more…including a threat to the adventurous life she craves.

Claire McEwen lives by the ocean in Northern California with her family and a scruffy, mischievous terrier. She loves writing stories where strong heroes and heroines take big, emotional journeys to find their happily-ever-afters. When not dreaming up new books, she can be found digging in her garden with a lot of enthusiasm but, unfortunately, no green thumb. She loves discovering flea-market treasures, walking on the beach, dancing, traveling and reading, of course!

Q and A

#1 Q & A

Can you tell us a little about your book?

His Last Rodeo is the fourth, and last, book in my Sierra Legacy series, but each book is written to stand alone. You don’t have to read the first three books to understand and enjoy this one. 

It’s the story of Kit Hayes, a heartbroken woman who is trying to put her life back together.  She’s determined to have all the adventures she never had while she was waiting for the man she loved and caring for her father.  Enter the hero, Tyler Ellis, who buys the bar where Kit’s worked for years.  He’s an old childhood friend who became a champion bull-rider and is now home, hoping to start the next chapter of his life. 

Tyler needs Kit’s expertise to help him transform the run-down business into a successful enterprise. Kit needs the money Tyler offers to finally make her dreams of traveling the world come true.  Neither of them want to fall in love, but the chemistry and connection between them is undeniable!

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

Yes! The background information on bartending and running a bar is based on my experiences tending bar in my early twenties.  I grew up riding horses, and I used to rock climb, so those scenes are also somewhat based on my own experiences.  But Kit and Tyler’s actual story came from my imagination. For example, although it would probably be fun to skinny-dip with a handsome cowboy on a summer night, I haven’t actually had the opportunity!

What do you like best about being a writer? What is the most challenging part?

I absolutely love the opportunity to tell the stories that grow in my imagination and my heart.  Each book I write means a lot to me for different reasons, and it is wonderful to realize that they feel special to readers too.

The most challenging part for me is time management. I am still learning the art of working on more than one book at once. I am still learning to juggle writing with marketing and social media.  And I am still trying to figure out how to be a good mom, a good wife, a good friend and a good writer all at once. I wish there were more hours in a day and that my house would magically clean itself!

What are you favorite types of stories to read?

I read a lot of contemporary romance, but I also love historical romances. There is something about disappearing into another time that I find so relaxing. I love regency, Scottish warriors, stories like that.  I also enjoy romantic comedy. And outside of romance?  I read non-fiction for book research and also because I like it.  I also enjoy literary fiction as long as it’s not too depressing.  And I’m having so much fun revisiting classic kids’ books with my son

Name three things on your desk right now.

Okay, here we go.  The most important thing, besides my computer, is my pretty Bloom planner. I love it. It has inspirational quotes, places to set goals, and most importantly, it helps me keep track of my writing life.  I also have a binder full of notes for the new series I’m working on, and a mug of tea. Because work is always better with a warm beverage!

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

I would advise new writers to avoid trying to write like someone else.  Instead, really listen to yourself and write the stories that are in your heart.  Do lots of writing to discover your own writer’s voice.  That way, you will have something unique and special to bring to the crowded romance market!

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